#PornBan: Airtel, Vodafone, others, follow Jio to ban porn websites
In a repeat performance of 2015, Indian broadband and cellular network operators are all complying with the Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) order to ban 827 porn websites. Reliance Jio was one of the first operators to enforce the ban, which was issued based on an order by the Uttarakhand High Court. Now, Airtel, Vodafone, and other operators have also enforced the ban. Here's more.
Backstory: Why the Uttarakhand High Court banned porn
The 2015 porn ban was based on a Supreme Court order that associated sexual violence with porn consumption. However, after widespread criticism, it was lifted days later. This time too, the porn ban is based on a similar premise, with the Uttarakhand High Court calling for the ban based on a gangrape case wherein the perpetrators were allegedly instigated after watching a porn film.
All major cellular operators seem to have banned porn
Around 27 October, Reliance Jio users started reporting on Reddit and elsewhere that they were not being able to access websites containing adult content on Jio's network. Now, along with Airtel, Vodafone, and others, it seems that all cellular network operators have complied with the DoT's order. Visitors to these sites are greeted with a message showing connection error, or the DoT's ban order.
Despite than, access to porn websites remains easy
That said, the government's ban on porn is symbolic at best. Pornhub has already circumvented the ban by launching a mirror website for Indians. Additionally, there are hordes of websites and web browser extensions that, through the use of proxies, can easily circumvent the ban on porn websites. Users have also reported that porn websites are still accessible on UC Browser, despite the ban.
